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Where do I Start Looking at Universities as a Year 12?

Good afternoon everyone!

If you're in year 12 or first year of college, you may well be starting to think about your university options. With so many choices of course and institution out there, it can be very overwhelming to begin with.

Our friendly ambassadors will be sharing their top tips for where to begin in year 12 or first year of college to prepare for going to university in this thread.

If you have any questions, our ambassadors will be very happy to help!

- Izzie (UK Recruitment) :smile:

Reply 1

UniofReading

Official Rep

Original post by UniofReading

Good afternoon everyone!
If you're in year 12 or first year of college, you may well be starting to think about your university options. With so many choices of course and institution out there, it can be very overwhelming to begin with.
Our friendly ambassadors will be sharing their top tips for where to begin in year 12 or first year of college to prepare for going to university in this thread.
If you have any questions, our ambassadors will be very happy to help!
- Izzie (UK Recruitment) :smile:

Hi everyone!

If you are thinking ahead about university, that is great! 🙂 I remember feeling overwhelmed myself and this is completely normal. Here is some of my advice which will hopefully help!

1)I would recommend beginning by researching different courses. Focus on exploring the courses that interest you. You don't need to decide right away, but getting a feel for what is available and what you would like to study is a great first step.

2)Attend open days! This is a brilliant way to explore different university campuses to get a feel for the environment, and talk to current students. You will be able to get an idea of what the university is actually like!

3)Focus on your studies! Do your best, thats all you can do! Try to not put too much pressure on yourself.

4)Get involved in extracurriculars in order to boost your personal statement! Whether it is sports, volunteering or clubs, it may help you to stand out and have extra experience to put on your CV/personal statement!

5)Familiarise yourself with the UCAS process. It is helpful to know the different deadlines/timelines in advance and there are also lots of available resources which show you how to create a strong personal statement!

If you are looking at specific universities, don't hesitate to ask any questions!

All the best,
Millie 🙂
BSc International Development

Reply 2

UniofReading

Official Rep

Hello!

I will be honest: when I was in year 12, I did not want to go to university; it was the last thing I wanted to do. By the time I was in year 13, I still didn't want to go to university, so I decided to take a gap year and get a full-time job.

I soon realised I was bored and couldn't see myself in the job for the rest of my life. So, I applied to university, and I had great GCSE and A-level grades, so this wasn't an issue. I gained five unconditional offers from my university choices.

I think not knowing is okay, and so many schools push university as your only option; while it is a great option, you have to really want it, or it may not be worth it. Sometimes, taking a bit of time to think will benefit you more, and the gap year for me was my ultimate push towards higher education.

If you are currently in year 12, try not to stress about what you have to do, as everything will sort itself out; focus on your grades and being happy; the rest will come naturally.

Good luck, and have a great sixth form/college experience.

All the best,
Ella
BSc Ecology

(edited 1 month ago)

Reply 3

UniofReading

Official Rep

Original post by UniofReading

Good afternoon everyone!
If you're in year 12 or first year of college, you may well be starting to think about your university options. With so many choices of course and institution out there, it can be very overwhelming to begin with.
Our friendly ambassadors will be sharing their top tips for where to begin in year 12 or first year of college to prepare for going to university in this thread.
If you have any questions, our ambassadors will be very happy to help!
- Izzie (UK Recruitment) :smile:

Hi everyone!

I hope you're all doing really well.

I remember feeling completely out of my depth when I first started researching different universities as there is so much information out there and it can be really difficult to know where to start. I was also applying during the covid pandemic which meant that I was not able to come and visit any of the unis in person.

My best advice would be to try and gain a broad range of information about your different options. Have a look at the course page, the rankings for both the university and the course, and also some first-hand accounts. I found places like The Student Room or Unibuddy really helpful as it allows you to speak to real people who are currently at the uni to get their genuine, first-hand experiences.

Going to an open day is a great way to decide if a uni is for you and to get an idea of what it is like there. However, this is not always possible for some people. To get around this, I looked at lots of virtual tours of different unis to get an idea of what they are like. I also watched some YouTube videos which current students had made about different elements including campus and accommodation tours.

Another tip which I think is really important is to consider your whole life at uni beyond just academics. You will be both studying and living a large amount of your life in this area, so have a look into the local area and consider if this is somewhere you can see yourself spending lots of time. It is also a good idea to look at transport links as this might be relevant if you are hoping to visit friends or family often.

One thing which can be really tempting is to find out where your friends are going to uni and also apply there. As nice as it would be to be there with them, try not to let this sway your decision. You should make the best choice for you. You will meet so many new friends when you go to uni and you can still visit your school friends all the time!

I hope this has been helpful, and just let us know if you have any questions.

Hattie😊
4MSci Speech and Language Therapy